Ruby
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 12.5% ABV ∙
The Ruby is a modern vodka sour with elderflower liqueur and an Aperol-style aperitivo, shaken with grapefruit juice, lemon juice and egg white.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Dry shake (without ice) all ingredients: Vodka 45 mlElderflower liqueur 20 mlAperitivo 15 mlGrapefruit juice 20 mlLemon juice 20 mlEgg white 15 ml
- Add ice
- Shake all ingredients with ice
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a grapefruit twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Fine strain to catch ice shards and keep the egg-white foam smooth.
- Express the grapefruit twist over the foam so its oils sit on top of the drink.
History
The Ruby is a modern vodka sour credited to American bartender Tony Abou-Ganim, known professionally as the Modern Mixologist. He included the drink in his book Vodka Distilled: The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails, published by Agate in 2013, which was devoted to vodka's history and cocktail uses. The recipe pairs vodka with an elderflower liqueur and Aperol, rounded out with grapefruit and lemon juice and egg white, reflecting Abou-Ganim's stated preference for a potato-based vodka to balance the drink's bitter and floral notes.
A separate cocktail also called "The Ruby," built around citrus vodka and grapefruit juice, was featured in a 2001 episode of the television series Sex and the City as a promotional tie-in for Florida grapefruit growers. It shares only the name with Abou-Ganim's drink.
FAQ
What's in a Ruby cocktail?
Vodka (45 ml), elderflower liqueur (20 ml), an aperitivo such as Aperol (15 ml), grapefruit juice (20 ml), lemon juice (20 ml), and egg white (15 ml).
How do you make a Ruby cocktail?
Dry shake the vodka, elderflower liqueur, aperitivo, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and egg white without ice to build the foam, then add ice and shake hard again. Fine strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass and express a grapefruit twist over the top as garnish.
